Chris Tanev will indeed return for the Vancouver Canucks when they host Tampa Bay tonight at Rogers Arena.
The 26-year-old defenseman has already missed 23 games this season with a lower-body injury, and the Canucks have missed him dearly. In the seven games he played early on, they went 4-2-1. Without him, their record was 8-14-1.
Tanev returns after Tuesday’s disastrous loss in Carolina, where the Canucks blew a 5-2 lead and lost, 8-6. Vancouver’s other top defenseman, Alex Edler, has also missed the past eight games with a broken finger, and will continue to miss more.
Read more: Major questions facing Canucks after disastrous ending to road trip
True to form, just as Tanev is ready to return, Erik Gudbranson could be out. Head coach Willie Desjardins said this morning that Gudbranson was being evaluated for an injury and may not be able to play tonight.
During Carolina game we had a shot of Gudbranson talking to medical staff about his hand or wrist. Might be the issue. #canucks
— Dan Murphy (@sportsnetmurph) December 16, 2016
With four straight home games, the Canucks desperately need some wins to get back in the playoff race. Tonight it’s Tampa Bay, Columbus is in town Sunday, then Winnipeg visits for two games next week.
Related: The Canucks have a big decision to make with Erik Gudbranson